​AIPAC proves surprise lobbying force for Palestine

Nadezhda Kevorkova has worked at RT since 2010, before which she was a special correspondent for ‘Novaya gazeta,’ ‘Nezavisimaya gazeta,’ and ‘Gazeta.’ Kevorkova has also worked extensively in Russian mass-media. As a war correspondent, she covered the Arab Spring, military and religious conflicts, and the anti-globalization movement. She has worked as a reporter in Egypt, Sudan, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Hungary, Greece, Turkey, Cuba, and in the republics of the North Caucasus, Tatarstan, and in the Far East. In 2001, after an invitation from US State Department, Kevorkova visited a number of states, including Alaska. As a correspondent of 'Gazeta' she reported from Indian settlements in the US. She covered the ‘Gaza Freedom Flotilla’ in 2008, 2010 and 2011; she also visited Gaza several times during the blockade. In 2010, Kevorkova was nominated for the ‘International Women of Courage’ award.

A Palestinian protester (L) throws a stone towards an Israeli soldier aiming his weapon during clashes on the outskirts of Jalazun refugee camp, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, on January 31, 2014. (AFP Photo) / AFP

AIPAC is a political behemoth that is never challenged or criticized. Instead, it is feared by many.

Some claim it defines US policy, while others maintain it doesn’t
enjoy the influence the media has bestowed upon it. Whichever is
true, here’s one hard fact – its conferences are attended by
President Obama.

Compared with AIPAC, pro-Palestinian organizations are like
the Lilliputians v Gulliver. AIPAC doesn’t seem to notice
Palestinian activists rejecting their work as some useless
barking. But once Gulliver dozed off, the Lilliputians tied him
with thousands of threads so that he couldn’t move a finger.

AIPAC positions itself as a part of the establishment and
disregards pro-Palestinian activists as a marginalized force.
AIPAC has worked hard to create its own legend of a powerful body
that has access to politicians and businessmen of any level. It’s
called a Public Affairs Committee and it acts in line with the
general business rules. Public affairs means connections, and
here they serve the interests of the big business.

Lilliputians v Gulliver

Even political old-timers like AIPAC have to play by the rules of
the digital world of social media, a virtual reality where
anonymous activists, poor and marginalized people can confront
movers and shakers, power players and presidents alike.

AIPAC loves to promote its slogan “I am pro-Israel, I am
AIPAC”, “I am” – leader, brother, dancer, veteran,
doer and so on – that is why “I am AIPAC.” In February,
the organization asked its followersasked its
followers on Twitter to play with the slogan (post dated
February 27). Here’s a template.

AIPAC followers didn’t do a good job, unlike pro-Palestinian
activists, who saw a burst of powerful ideas – they put the
slogan over the most heartbreaking images of Israeli life.

In several waves, in the course of just a few days, these posters
found their way into the most prim and proper accounts – of
Protestant pastors, widows and charity organizations, rabbis and
artists, sportsmen and financial experts. It’s the nature of
social networks to allow everyone to invade someone else’s space.

Palestine and its tragedy got an awareness campaign in the US
completely free of charge. In a few words it showed what annual
aid to Israel, which amounts to $3 billion out of the American
budget, really means.

Hundreds of reports on TV and newspaper articles fail to make as
powerful an impact as a single picture with the AIPAC logo
depicting an Israeli soldier threatening unarmed Palestinian
women and children.

Curiously, it’s American Jews who are responsible for creating
the majority of these posters. They closely follow the activities
of the Israeli lobby, and respond with biting irony. In Israel
they are labeled ‘self-hating’, since it’s hard to call a Jew
anti-Semitic, even if they disagree with Israeli policy.

In big politics and key media outlets it’s common to look down on
couch potatoes who spend all their time on social networks.
However, sometimes that works better than pricey promo campaigns
of entire countries.